Simple question…..

[sturmkatze]

I haven't been able to figure that out either?
Etipp, never logs off, he's always connected,, it's like he has live feed and never sleeps,
kinda like some of those games folks play today?

I don’t log off either. I get this as a daily digest. I answer some of them. Many I have ignored because they think it’s cool to troll or are know it alls. You yourself like to troll. Why?

 

[Banjoman]

Are flintlocks reliable when it’s raining?

Okay, back to the original question. I have used a flintlock for hunting and target shooting in the rain and on very damp days. By rain, I mean at worst a light drizzle. I won’t hunt or target shoot in heavier rain. Since my target shooting is done from under a shed, that wouldn’t be a fair discussion.

But when squirrel hunting, I usually have on a heavy coat and a wide brimmed hat and I just tuck the gun up under my arm or one side of the coat to keep water away from the lock. After firing, I wipe the pan, flint and frizzen with a dry rag which is kept in my pocket. This is a very important step. I still may get an occasional klatch because of carelessness and not keeping moisture away from the lock and when this happens I just dump the prime, dry off the lock and start again. Most squirrels don’t mind if I don’t make a big ruckus doing it.

Also, I use 2f or 3f for the main charge and to prime. Just have to use one horn that way.

I’ve never used a cows knee so can’t help you there.

So yes, flintlocks can be reliable when it’s raining. And if you learn to shoot them in the rain, you can shoot them anytime.

Hope this helps.

 

[wiscoaster]

This forum is such a hoot. A thread titled "Simple question" is six pages and running ...

 

[ETipp]

Okay, back to the original question. I have used a flintlock for hunting and target shooting in the rain and on very damp days. By rain, I mean at worst a light drizzle. I won’t hunt or target shoot in heavier rain. Since my target shooting is done from under a shed, that wouldn’t be a fair discussion.

But when squirrel hunting, I usually have on a heavy coat and a wide brimmed hat and I just tuck the gun up under my arm or one side of the coat to keep water away from the lock. After firing, I wipe the pan, flint and frizzen with a dry rag which is kept in my pocket. This is a very important step. I still may get an occasional klatch because of carelessness and not keeping moisture away from the lock and when this happens I just dump the prime, dry off the lock and start again. Most squirrels don’t mind if I don’t make a big ruckus doing it.

Also, I use 2f or 3f for the main charge and to prime. Just have to use one horn that way.

I’ve never used a cows knee so can’t help you there.

So yes, flintlocks can be reliable when it’s raining. And if you learn to shoot them in the rain, you can shoot them anytime.

Hope this helps.

Thank you. What climate and how long did the rifle stay loaded for.

 

[ETipp]

This forum is such a hoot. A thread titled "Simple question" is six pages and running ...

Exactly. One bad apple can ruin many others.

However, there’s still lots of good information to be had in this thread. I appreciate the posts from those that are willing to share and help instead of trying to ruin things for others.

 

[Hatchet Jack]

necchi,
you are poison to this site. Either you are putting on an act, or you are the biggest A Hole that ever entered this forum.
Obviously, you don't like people. So maybe you shouldn't correspond with them.

 

[sussexmuzllodr]

I do imagine that "rain" did influence things it the AWI. A rearrangement of designated musket balls.

 

[Banjoman]

Thank you. What climate and how long did the rifle stay loaded for.

In East Tennessee, Campbell County. Probably ain’t far from where you’re at. I use a flintlock smooth bore either .60 or .62 caliber. I load right before going into the woods and unload by firing before I come out. I’ll clean it and the squirrels if I get any as soon as I get home.

 

[ETipp]

In East Tennessee, Campbell County. Probably ain’t far from where you’re at. I use a flintlock smooth bore either .60 or .62 caliber. I load right before going into the woods and unload by firing before I come out. I’ll clean it and the squirrels if I get any as soon as I get home.

Good information you added. I thank you,sir.

 

[dpasek]

Why do the all knowing on the forum have to belittle others on the forum. It takes the the fun out of an informative thread and turns it into a head butting contest.
Good question ETipp, I appreciate it, thanks. We all just have to not take the bait. No response to that sort of post.

It's a personality defect that always shows up in a fraction of any population. It could also just be a matter of the transient crankiness that many of us get. The solution is to implement a 'block' function in the forum that would prevent a particular individual from replying to any posts that you make, at any point in a thread. A 'delete' function could be used to remove any undesired reply from below a comment of your own, but only that. Should be simple to implement. All I see here is 'ignore', maybe that is similar. In advanced form, a personal 'block' could filter your own feed so you never even see any posts by the blocked individual in your own feed. This would not alter anyone else's feed. IMO, it is most effectively implemented at the lowest individual level possible. Don't feed the Trolls.

 

[reddogge]

During Washingtons assault on Trenton, there was a terrible Nor'wester going thru! Driving rain and snow. People today do not quite understand how his troops fired their flintlocks, or had the cannons go off with such regularity! To this day, no one can quite explain how this occurred! I can only guess that his people knew how to make it happen!

One theory is that misfires in the rain were so common during those days and expected they never were mentioned.

 

[dpasek]

With a decent cow's knee you can get by in the rain but what I have found that's worse than rain is heavy fog.
I was hunting last year on the opening day of muzzleloader season and it was extremely foggy I didn't see anything so at the end of the hunt I went to clear the pan of powder it had absorbed so much moisture the powder can out as one big chunk and I don't think it would have fired if I'd see a deer.

Just curious... Have you ever compared graphite coated priming powder like Goex with uncoated powder like Swiss for moisture resistance? I have only shot caplock so far, and only in mostly dry weather, so I have no personal experience yet with the fine points of flintlock use.

 

[smo]

Thank you. What climate and how long did the rifle stay loaded for.

Here’s a text message I sent a Friend of mine on 12/6/23

Loaded on 11/17/23...

75 grns fffg Goex .530 roundball ....

I had hunted 2 days in a little drizzle during that time.. But kept the lock clean/ un fouled and covered ..

 

[ColonialRifleSmith]

Why do the all knowing on the forum have to belittle others on the forum. It takes the the fun out of an informative thread and turns it into a head butting contest.
Good question ETipp, I appreciate it, thanks. We all just have to not take the bait. No response to that sort of post.

All FORUMS have their TROLLS. This one is no exception. I just block 'em. I could give you a list of a few very active ones, however I would just be lighting their fire. You'll get to know 'em. Semper Fi.

 

[Daveboone]

I am still relatively new to flinters...three years or so, but have been ML for ....four plus decades, and love my history. Many journals document waiting out the rain/wet weather for battles and hunting (Even the indians with their bows...rain was rough on the bow strings). In light drizzles I still go out, but use a cows knee, not just to keep powder dry, but the lock dry....water will greatly reduce sparking. I usualy do not prime until at my stand and I can better protect the pan, and frequently brush out the old prime and replace it. As reliable as in dry weather? no. As reliable as you make the situation, though.

 

[Wirehair]

Wow! A 1 1/2 hour food fight to a very good question. We're all ignorant, just about different things. If you aren't willing to share knowledge on this forum, why participate?

 

[andy52]

Just curious... Have you ever compared graphite coated priming powder like Goex with uncoated powder like Swiss for moisture resistance? I have only shot caplock so far, and only in mostly dry weather, so I have no personal experience yet with the fine points of flintlock use.

No, I haven't done that A can of 4f powder goes a long way when your just priming with it. The can of Goex I use is several years old.

 

[sussexmuzllodr]

I don’t log off either. I get this as a daily digest. I answer some of them. Many I have ignored because they think it’s cool to troll or are know it alls. You yourself like to troll. Why?

Readers Digest of Muzzle loading!

 

[Pete G]

I’m sure glad he didn’t ask a complicated question.

 

[TDM]

I’m sure glad he didn’t ask a complicated question.

That’s a good one!